By Daniel Obagha
In a bid to make Ayoko fishing lake rival Arugungu Fishing festival in Kebbi State, leaders of Ụmụọba Anam in Anambra West LGA, Anambra State, have called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to develop Ayoko fishing lake and make it a tourist attraction for the state.
Speaking at the on going Ayoko fishing festival 2026, the Chairman of Umuoba Anam Mmevo Development Council (UAMDC), Chief Sunday Emeka Nduba, praised Governor Soludo for creating tight security in the state which made Ayoko fishing festival 2026 a success.
He, then, called on the governor to help develop the fishing lake and make it a world class tourist attraction for the state by constructing access road to the lake and providing solar powered light, and clean water.
“Honestly, we are very grateful to Governor Soludo for the peace and security we are enjoying in this year’s Ayoko fishing festival. We have not experienced any attacks from anybody.
“We are begging him to look into this lake and see its importance to citizens of Anambra State and Nigeria in general and develop it and make it a world class tourist attraction for the state.
“Ayoko is bigger and richer in resources than Arugungu Fishing lake but the world does not know about it. The road to here is very bad. We need it to be tarred from Iyiora Anam bridge to the lake for easy evacuation of fishes from the lake to the Otuocha market,” Nduba said.
The Chairman of UAMDC also said that the lake is capable of providing natural fresh fish that can feed the whole of Nigeria.
“The fishes we kill at Ayoko are more than what Arugungu Fishing festival produce. Go to Anam markets today at Nkwọ Otupu, Avo Oroma, Avo Iyiora, or at Ose and Otuocha Markets you will see different sizes and types of fish from Ayoko. You can see okpo, ikele, ipete, usolo, ikpokpo in large quantities,” chairman said.
He emphasized that if clean water and solar powered light were provided at the lake and buildings constructed there people from all over Nigeria can come and buy fishes in large quantity, process them and sleep comfortably before going back the following day.
The Secretary of the Council, Comrade Ignatius Obadiegwu, called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to join hands with Anambra State Government to make Ayoko a world class tourist attraction for Nigeria.
“Only Anambra State Government cannot do it. Let the Federal government through Federal Ministry of Agriculture join hands with the state government and develop Ayoko so that we will stop importing fish into Nigeria,” Comrade Obadiegwu said.
A fish trader, Unoma Ivedegwu complained that the bad road to Ayoko do not allow them to carry the fishes to urban markets alive.
“Before we reach Otuocha or Onitsha, the fishes will die and some spoilt. So we are forced to dry most of them before taking them to the market,” she said.
Ayoko fishing festival is an annual event of the indigenes of Ụmụọba Anam. Ayoko is a very big lake and its year’s festival started on 1st of April, 2026 and will continue till flood waters enter their again.
Daniel is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
